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In May of 2020, Canada was in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic. In the Cameron and Simmins household, other serious health concerns had arisen. By June, author, journalist, and filmmaker Silver Donald Cameron had died, leaving behind a devastated - and entirely isolated - widow, Marjorie Simmins. With no family for thousands of kilometres and a bubble of only two friends in her Cape Breton village, Simmins soon discovered that she had to keep busy or despair would set in. She would also find support and love all around her, whether it arrived from up the road in her seaside village or across the country in Vancouver on the West Coast.
"People will help you," Silver Donald had said to her that last week of his life - and he was right. Filled with a mix of emotions, from deepest grief to the giddiest of misadventures, In Search of Puffins is a story of love, loss, and reinvention. In contrast to the death that left her reeling, Simmins is determined to bring rejuvenating change to a new life on her own. The result is a story of surprises and friendship, sweetened by laughter and salted by some hard lessons in survival. Along the way, Simmins considers the best aspects of life experienced in villages, towns, and cities, and leans into her earlier loves of horses and dogs.
Simmins also pins her hopes on puffins, the sauciest of seabirds, to raise her heart and show her how to use her wings again. But finding puffins isn't easy. It's going to take some sleuthing to find these "clowns of the sea," who thus far in her life, no matter what Silver Donald used to say, have remained hidden from her. In Search of Puffins is the third book in a series of memoirs, beginning with Coastal Lives and Year of the Horse.
In Search of Puffins is the third book in a series of memoirs, beginning with Coastal Lives and Year of the Horse. Journalist and author Marjorie Simmins completed this third memoir four years after the death of her husband, writer Silver Donald Cameron, a charismatic public figure much loved across Canada, and with an international reputation as an environmentalist and a filmmaker. In Search of Puffins is a story of love and loss, reinvention and humour. "A terrific tale. The urgency and passion of her prose makes this memoir such gripping reading. At the heart of her story is the unfolding of an extraordinary love affair between her on the Pacific Coast, and, 4000 miles east on the Atlantic, fellow writer Silver Donald Cameron." "Through Marjorie Simmins' spirited prose you can feel the ancient bond between humans and horses. Her many equine loves and leaps – as well as injuries and recoveries – give us a personal glimpse into a timeless relationship." "Memoir is one of the ascendant literary forms of our time. Now, fortunately, Marjorie Simmins has provided a road map for all of us, from first-timers right through to seasoned memoirists. Her own tricks of the trade are in there. But Simmins also talks to some of the most accomplished writers working today to plumb the depths of their knowledge. A great addition to any writer's bookshelf."
In May of 2020, Canada was in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic. In the Cameron and Simmins household, other serious health concerns had arisen. By June, author, journalist, and filmmaker Silver Donald Cameron had died, leaving behind a devastated - and entirely isolated - widow, Marjorie Simmins. With no family for thousands of kilometres and a bubble of only two friends in her Cape Breton village, Simmins soon discovered that she had to keep busy or despair would set in. She would also find support and love all around her, whether it arrived from up the road in her seaside village or across the country in Vancouver on the West Coast.
"People will help you," Silver Donald had said to her that last week of his life - and he was right. Filled with a mix of emotions, from deepest grief to the giddiest of misadventures, In Search o
"People will help you," Silver Donald had said to her that last week of his life - and he was right. Filled with a mix of emotions, from deepest grief to the giddiest of misadventures, In Search of Puffins is a story of love, loss, and reinvention. In contrast to the death that left her reeling, Simmins is determined to bring rejuvenating change to a new life on her own. The result is a story of surprises and friendship, sweetened by laughter and salted by some hard lessons in survival. Along the way, Simmins considers the best aspects of life experienced in villages, towns, and cities, and leans into her earlier loves of horses and dogs.
Simmins also pins her hopes on puffins, the sauciest of seabirds, to raise her heart and show her how to use her wings again. But finding puffins isn't easy. It's going to take some sleuthing to find these "clowns of the sea," who thus far in her life, no matter what Silver Donald used to say, have remained hidden from her. In Search of Puffins is the third book in a series of memoirs, beginning with Coastal Lives and Year of the Horse.
In Search of Puffins is the third book in a series of memoirs, beginning with Coastal Lives and Year of the Horse. Journalist and author Marjorie Simmins completed this third memoir four years after the death of her husband, writer Silver Donald Cameron, a charismatic public figure much loved across Canada, and with an international reputation as an environmentalist and a filmmaker. In Search of Puffins is a story of love and loss, reinvention and humour. "A terrific tale. The urgency and passion of her prose makes this memoir such gripping reading. At the heart of her story is the unfolding of an extraordinary love affair between her on the Pacific Coast, and, 4000 miles east on the Atlantic, fellow writer Silver Donald Cameron." "Through Marjorie Simmins' spirited prose you can feel the ancient bond between humans and horses. Her many equine loves and leaps – as well as injuries and recoveries – give us a personal glimpse into a timeless relationship." "Memoir is one of the ascendant literary forms of our time. Now, fortunately, Marjorie Simmins has provided a road map for all of us, from first-timers right through to seasoned memoirists. Her own tricks of the trade are in there. But Simmins also talks to some of the most accomplished writers working today to plumb the depths of their knowledge. A great addition to any writer's bookshelf."
In May of 2020, Canada was in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic. In the Cameron and Simmins household, other serious health concerns had arisen. By June, author, journalist, and filmmaker Silver Donald Cameron had died, leaving behind a devastated - and entirely isolated - widow, Marjorie Simmins. With no family for thousands of kilometres and a bubble of only two friends in her Cape Breton village, Simmins soon discovered that she had to keep busy or despair would set in. She would also find support and love all around her, whether it arrived from up the road in her seaside village or across the country in Vancouver on the West Coast.
"People will help you," Silver Donald had said to her that last week of his life - and he was right. Filled with a mix of emotions, from deepest grief to the giddiest of misadventures, In Search o